Many varieties of power equipment are available for residential, commercial and industrial use. Examples of such power equipment include but are not limited to mowers, lawn tractors, snow blowers, tillers, ditch diggers, chainsaws, rotary saws, chippers/shredders, portable generators, and hedge trimmers. Such varieties of power equipment can be equipped with an internal combustion engine as a primary source of power to facilitate operation of the power equipment. Despite the utility offered by each variety of power equipment, many consumers can only justify purchasing a limited few pieces of power equipment due to the relatively high cost, limited use and substantial size of each such device.
Perhaps the most common variety of power equipment having an internal combustion engine is a lawn mower. In fact, a mower can typically be found within the garage or shed of many modern homes. Although mowers are available in many sizes and configurations, one type of mower is a walk-behind mower. The walk-behind mower is ideally suited for maintaining a relatively small lawn, such as that surrounding a typical home. Such a mower is typically operated for only a couple of hours per week, but otherwise often sits idle and without potential for use.
A portable generator is another variety of power equipment having an internal combustion engine. Portable generators can serve as an invaluable tool and can be quite valuable to the typical consumer under certain circumstances, particularly for activities remote from house receptacles and during emergencies during which power from the utility company is lost. For example, a homeowner can use a portable generator to operate a sump pump when power from the utility company is interrupted, thereby preventing damage from a potential flood. Despite such utility, due to the relatively high cost for such a portable generator and the relative infrequency of such emergencies, the typical consumer is often not inclined to purchase such a piece of equipment.
Accordingly, there is a need for more versatile power equipment. Furthermore, there is a need for power equipment that requires less storage space. Still further, there is a need for a mower that is more versatile. In addition, there is a need for a more economical portable generator. More particularly, there is a need for a portable generator having additional utility in order that a typical consumer could better justify its cost.